


Read Between the Lines

by thatsoreyes



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Libraries, Zutara Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27720053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatsoreyes/pseuds/thatsoreyes
Summary: The White Lotus Library helps Zuko find 2 new loves. Reading and Katara.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 75





	Read Between the Lines

**Author's Note:**

> This is short, but its been sitting on my computer for quite a while so I figured I would post it for ZKFAW

A bell rings on the door as Zuko walks into the White Lotus Library with a copy of _Lord of the Flies_ in hand. He has no actual concept of the plot of the novel, he’s returning it for his uncle, Iroh.

He makes his way to the circulation desk where a particularly pretty dark haired girl is sitting, helping a visitor of the library check out a book.

He doesn’t mean to eavesdrop, but he’s standing 5 feet away, so it just sort of _happens._ She’s talking animatedly about the book the person is borrowing from the library. The way she is speaking about it almost makes Zuko want to read the book, _and he hates reading_. He is so consumed by his own thoughts and her voice that he doesn’t notice that it’s his turn until her voice snaps him out of his trance.

“I can help you over here!” She flashes him a smile.

“I’m just returning this,” he states handing her the book.

She takes it from his hand and glances at it,

“ _Lord of the Flies Huh?”_ she asks.

“Yup.”

“How’d you like it?”

He thinks now would probably be a good time to mention the fact that he didn’t actually read the book himself, but he doesn’t want the conversation to end so he settles for,

“It was hard to get through if I’m being honest.”

_He was not being honest._

She sighs.

“I felt the same way. The premise of the it is fascinating, the whole philosophical question of whether man is naturally evil or not, but it was just _so_ dense.”

“Do you have any recommendations?” he asks.

_I can’t believe I’m resorting to lying about reading to flirt. This is a new low. Even For me,_ he thinks.

Katara ponders for a moment,

“Well what kind of things do you like to read?” she asks and leads him over to the shelves.

_Not much._

“Anything with words.”

_Wow Zuko, you’re a real master of charm_.

“Well that sets the bar incredibly low,” she furrows her eyebrows then continues, “What’s your favorite novel?”

_Shit._

Zuko is a literate human being who has gone through high school. He’s read novels before _unwillingly_. However, at the posing of that question all the books of the past fade out of his memory so he panics and settles on the nearest book he can spot on a shelf.

“Pride and Prejudice!” he squeaks and she raises her eyebrows tilting her head.

“Really?” she asks her voice going up an octave.

“What’s wrong with that?” he questions defensively.

_I haven’t even read the book, why am I getting defensive?_

“Nothing! Jane Austen’s writing is just a favorite among an audience of whom you don’t quite fall under…”

“Are you stereotyping me?”

“No!”

“Sure…” his eyes spot a sign behind her about an author, _Agatha Christie._

_Her name sounds familiar, wasn’t there a movie based on one of her books? What was it again? Something about a murder? Murder on the train? No that’s not it. Murder on the- Orient Express!_

She’s about to offer him a recommendation when he chimes in,

“I also enjoy Agatha Christie’s writing; Murder on the Orient Express was pretty good.”

_It’s not a total lie. From what I remember the movie was good._

“Hm, have you read And Then There Were None? It’s one of my all-time favorites.” She asks him.

“No, I haven’t yet, if you guys have it in your inventory I would love to read it.”

_Finally, something that’s not a total lie._

She walks over to the shelf where all of Agatha Christie’s books are located and hands him a copy of it.

“What’s your name by the way? I need it to check you out, not check _you_ out-check the book out.” she stammers awkwardly, and her face turns a bright shade of pink.

An amused smile falls on Zuko’s features.

“Zuko.”

“Well, Zuko, I’m Katara, I hope you like the book, you’ll have to let me know what you think of it when you return it.” She says after she’s scanning the book barcode and entering the needed information into the computer.

He nods and thanks her before leaving the book store, hoping nobody notices how red his face is.

***

Zuko goes back to the book store a week later after finishing the book. He actually read the entire thing and didn’t hate it. _Shocking._

This time when she asks him about the book he is able to answer and actually have a real discussion.

“So, what did you think?” she raises her eyebrows.

“I liked it, it was like reading a puzzle that I didn’t have all the parts too until the very last chapter, the ending was just something else.”

“I totally agree, the author has a way of making you think you know who it did, but then she pulls the rug out from under you, multiple times.”

“Do you have any more recommendations?” Zuko asks in a genuine tone. 

“I work in a library of course I do.” She smiles.

***

After book seven Zuko thinks he needs to get his shit together.

He has spent that past 2 months reading novels just to spend 15 minutes with Katara every week.

He enters the bookshop with a copy of the alchemist in his hand and begins looking for the brunette girl who’s been taking up his thoughts for the past few weeks. He doesn’t see her at the return desk so he wanders around a bit before he hears her voice. He walks around the corner to see Katara sitting on a chair surrounded by a group of kids between the ages of 3 and 5. She’s reading some children’s book to them, and Zuko’s heart flips in his stomach at the site of her.

She meets his eyes and smiles, giving him a small wave before going back to the story for the children.

He leans up against the bookshelf and waits for her to be finished.

***

She finds him soon after she finishes reading to the kids in one of the aisles of book shelves reading the back of a novel.

“Already finished The Alchemist?” she questions leaning against the shelf, snapping him out of his trance. He smiles and puts the book back on the shelf.

“I have something to tell you.”

“Oh did you hate the book? I know it’s a tough read but it’s one of my favorites and I will be slightly dejected if you didn’t like it at all.”

“No-no I liked the book just fine!” he cuts her off, then continues,

“I didn’t actually read Lord of the Flies that day, and pride and prejudice was _not_ my favorite novel. I hadn’t even read it. Though I have since read it and actually really enjoyed it. I _hated_ reading before.”

“And you are telling me this now because?” she trails off.

“I wanted to be totally truthful before I asked you on a date.”

“A date?”

“Yeah you know that thing where you hang out with someone and-“

“I know what a _date_ is you idiot.” She cuts him off and punches his arm lightly.

“Okay sorry, sorry!” he throws his hands up in defense.

“Also, I knew you never read lord of the flies, I’m the one who lent that book out to Iroh. His name was written in the back, I was just trying to start a conversation with you because I thought you were cute. And then the way you panicked and said pride and prejudice was your favorite book? You are a _terrible liar.”_ she finishes and rolls her eyes.

“You thought I was cute?” He raises his eyebrows and her cheeks gain a tint of red.

“Really, that’s what you took away from that?”

“So a date?” he questions.

“I suppose.”

***

“So you read seven books- wait no eight if you count pride and prejudice just so you could come and see me for what? 10 minutes every week? Why didn’t you just ask me to hang out?” she asks as they walk around the downtown area where the library is located.

“Well when you put it like that it sounds pretty pathetic“

“I don’t think its pathetic I think its sweet,” she pauses then continues, “but seriously you could’ve just asked me then and I probably would’ve said yes.”

“Well if I’d had done that I would have never discovered that I actually do in fact like to read.”

She hums in agreement.

***

They stop by Iroh’s tea shop after their third date with their hands linked.

“Ah so I see my plan worked.” Iroh says from behind the counter after they order two teas.

“What plan?” Zuko furrows his eyebrows.

“Well you see, I purposefully sent you to the library a while ago to return that book in hope that you would ask Miss Katara here on a date. And well it appears that my plan worked, even if it did take an entire 2 _months_ nephew.”

“You what!?” they both utter at the same time.

“I’ve said too much already.” Iroh states before retreating to the kitchen.

“Iroh may seem like a hufflepuff, but he is one hundred percent a slytherin.” Katara huffs.

“I need to read those books.” Zuko mutters.

“You’ve never read harry potter?” Katara screeches at him.

“I saw the first movie.” He squeaks.

“You have so much to learn, it’s a good thing you’re pretty.” She deadpans.

***

Zuko comes to the library far for frequently than once a week now.

He lingers and reads while Katara is working if he has free time. And sometimes, when nobody else is around she’ll pull him behind one of the book shelves and kiss him quickly before disappearing to do more work which drives him crazy.

The While Lotus Library gave Zuko two loves – reading and Katara.


End file.
